How 45 Teenagers Fooled the British Empire

In 1945, 45 Jewish teenagers risked execution for a special mission: manufacturing millions of bullets beneath the British Army’s nose. Hidden under a working laundromat near a military base, the Ayalon Institute became one of the boldest secret operations in pre-state Israel. Discover how its young workers fooled British soldiers, armed Jewish fighters, and helped give the future State of Israel a fighting chance. Since 1901, Jewish National Fund-USA has strengthened the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives that secure the country’s North and South. By preserving heritage sites like Ayalon Institute, Jewish National Fund-USA invests in Israel’s future, driving tourism, generating jobs, and helping communities thrive. Find more information about visiting Ayalon Institute and other parts of Israel below. You belong in Israel. Find your Jewish National Fund-USA tour or mission: https://www.jnf.org/travel/?utm_source=partner_opendor&ut… Educators can explore Israel on Jewish National Fund-USA's special mission: https://www.jnf.org/travel/tour/index/educators-mission-t… Jewish National Fund-USA's Alexander Muss High School in Israel offers semester, summer, and mini-mester academic experiences for North American teens. Find out more: https://www.amhsi.org/?utm_source=partner_opendor&utm_med… Learn more about the Jewish National Fund-USA's work preserving heritage sites in Israel: https://www.jnf.org/our-work/heritage-site-preservation?u… 0:00 Intro 0:45 Palestine on the Brink 1:32 Hiding in Plain Sight 2:22 Recruiting 45 Teenagers 2:58 Building the Secret Factory 3:20 The Laundromat and Bakery Cover 3:58 Life Underground 5:28 Smuggling the Bullets 5:57 The Secret Almost Slips 6:18 Keeping the Cover Alive 7:02 The Laundry Problem 7:32 The British Fund the Operation 8:25 Two Million Bullets 9:07 Hidden for 30 Years 9:28 The Ayalon Legacy Sources “Code Name: Ayalon.” Code Name: Ayalon “Ayalon Institute.” The Librarians, National Library of Israel “How Kibbutzniks Made Secret Ammo.” ESRA Magazine Danny the Digger. “Machon Ayalon.” Danny the Digger “Code Name: Ayalon – Trailer.” YouTube, uploaded by Code Name: Ayalon “The Modesty and Valor of the Ayalon Institute.” Jewish Gift Place “Ayalon Institute.” Grokipedia Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video – How 8 Deaths Changed Jewish History Forever - https://youtu.be/HWwVfBCPElU?si=0kH45O7_KrW0kItX We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source… Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----- Image and footage credits: British Pathé Itay Rotem - Israel guide Frank Markow Universal Newsreel Archives.gov Jewish National Fund-USA Hebrew University of Jerusalem Channel 4 Documentaries רחובוטיוי - כל מה שמעניין ברחובות והסביבה Adlink A/V Geeks 16mm Films British Movietone בית הפלמח שמעון צור Dan Galimpro Paramount Television Jadran Film Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions United Artists Bryna Productions Melville Productions TriStar Pictures Carolco Pictures Le Studio Canal+ RCS Video Carlyle Productions United Artists Amblin Entertainment Warner Bros. Pictures Cachet Communications Laurel Fairworth Productions ------ Executive Producers: Michael Steinhardt Co-Executive Producers: Marc Shmuel Levine Iris & Shalom Maidenbaum Gold Level: The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life ----------- Translation credits: Portuguese: Saymon Pires About Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern State of Israel, we explain it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion. Understand Jewish holidays, Israeli politics, Jewish diasporic communities, and more. Learn about Judaism in pop culture, debunking myths about Jews, and explore obscure Israeli landmarks. We’re asking questions as basic as “What is the Talmud?”, and as obscure as “How did hip-hop boost Kosher wine sales?”, and everything in between. About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #israel #history #zionism